DIY anchor setup for my Hobie anchor trolly
 

I’m not sure what the best way was to make an anchor set up for use with my anchor trolley but this is what I came up with.

What do you guys think?

Please comment and let me know if there’s anything that I could add to make it better or if there was a better way to make an anchor setup.

I used 550 paracord, a stainless ring, and a bronze snap swivel rated for 220#’s that would fit through the ring of the anchor trolly

The “anchor” is an 8kg kettle weight (18#’s)?

Why do you want to anchor in a kayak? Where?

Just curious.

-----

On another note I was fighting something that felt like an anchor near the bottom @100', humping and pumping for about 1.5 hours before the hooks of my Luckycraft 110 broke and/or bent out straight. I was enrolled in the halibut division of the recent Heroes Tournament. My fishing buddy suspects it was a BSB. Personally I've never fought a fish that felt like it was anchored to the bottom like that, for so long. And yes, I'm sure it was a fish, not a rock.

What was it???? Whatever it was, it made a fine anchor, no trolley

-----

Ideas for an anchor trolley and anchor trolley rigging. Food for thought.

http://www.yakangler.com/kayak-riggi...anchor-trolley

http://www.yakangler.com/kayak-riggi...rolley-rigging

I tried the paracord once but found it too small of a diameter for pulling up an anchor. it just hurt my hands, especially if the anchor was a bit stuck. I changed to that 1/4" yellow poly rope they use for hoop nets and it works well plus it floats. The weight probably will work in a harbor, but I think you'll need a real anchor if you're in any swells or current.

Thanks guys

I see some people have been using a bungee attached to the ring in the anchor trolly. The anchor line went through another ring at the other end of the bungee.

Anyone have pics of this setup?

My dumb ass tried to use the anchor that came with my kayak the first time I took it out. Tried to anchor up outside the kelp line....

Figured out real quick how bad of an idea that was when the anchor did its job but when the current was ripping and swells came through it almost pulled me over. Fortunately I was able to free the anchor real quick before it dumped me.

Never again.....I took it off.

I tie off to the kelp if I want to sit in one spot for a bit. But a properly seated anchor will dunk your boat if a swell comes through. Maybe in the harbor or a lake where the wind is blowing you around. but out in the ocean I would rather not.

This, 100%. That is exactly what happened to me. I got lucky, I realized. But even trying to free up the anchor and pulling on it I nearly dunked myself.

A kelp clip would be ideal. I just hold on to a strand between my toes, works. My buddies have the kelp clips, I need to pick one up.

A kelp clip is my most used anchor. Whatever you use make sure you have a piece of bungie between you and the anchor for a little stretch, and never tie off to the side of your kayak or you may flip over with a swell. Always pull your trolley to the bow or stern.

Like a lot of people when I first got into kayaking I bought a folding five pound anchor, with a long rope. First time I hung it I wished I had not. Once you hang them on rocks you do not have the power with a yak to get an anchor loose.

What I came up with is this:
https://i.imgur.com/H5HFbqN.jpg

That is a Kencor all stainless imitation of a penn 3/0 that has a level wind.

They have a cork drag so are pretty useless for fishing but they are geared low and do not rust. It's a micro rod about a foot long I made for it with a roller tip and as you see it fits in a rod holder. I use an old Rock Cod handle with it for leverage. The grapple is maybe 20 ounces a tube filled with lead and the hooks are low carbon 1/8 stainless steel. It works just like the spider sinkers I used to make for surf fishing in Texas.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....PL._SX425_.jpg

I.E. if you let out enough line the tines dig in and pull it deep enough it buries in the sand, so in sand you want to figure out your ideal yak position drop, the grapple well above it drift down past it letting out line, tighten up to bury the grapple then reel yourself up to where you want to be.

There a few benefits to this whole method. I can set the drag on the Kencor so it slips if I get hit by a big wave. When you have a big fish on that is running your line off, you can throw the reel into free spool with the clicker on and follow it. If it hangs you just put some load on it and let the kayak and eighty spectra straighten the tines to get the grapple back.

I can and have used it in kelp or around rocky areas, but I mostly use it for artificial reef fishing in SMB. Works perfect every time. :cheers1:

I also use a improvised kelp clip when fishing in the kelp, and it doubles for quickly securing fish.

You can see it right above my left hand here:
https://i.imgur.com/DVBnOth.jpg

I now that is a fish not kelp, but it does double duty and that was the only pic I could find of it. That is the rig, a simple stainless clip om a four foot+ rope. I use this kind pf hich I buy at home depot.
https://newcontent.westmarine.com/co...ull/116079.jpg

You want to get the size that easily clips on the stalk of the kelp but then jams on the roundish float or bladders. Once again if you get hit by a big waves it will rip off a bladder or two but then it will lock up on the next one. Super simple, super easy, very quick to deploy for kelp. For fish I have one end attacked to the yak at all times. I just drop the clip end into the fishes mouth so it falls through the gills, then clip it on the rope, once again very quick and easy, I find it's just as fast as using a dive clip but more maneuverable and more secure for fish then a standard dive clip. I love mine it's one of my must haves for any kayak trip.

Anchoring in a swell or strong current is risky. This is no endorsement for anchors. If you're in conditions where you think it will be ok, use care!
Here's a link to a thread on a kayak anchor system I use on flat water with a buoy. You release the anchor with one hand by undoing line from a jam cleat while in the other hand you're holding the rod attached to a big fish on a screaming run. Chase fish, return to collect anchor later. Line can be run through the trolley ring
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com...p?topic=2041.0

A length of chain, 2 to 3 feet, at the anchor, makes it lay down so the flukes bite better. However, chain should be attached directly to the bottom of the anchor, then tied to the top with a breakable line. That way if anchor gets hung, you can break the light line and pull from the other end.
It is not, IMO, a good idea to have an anchor line attached to the anchor by anything stronger than what you can break pulling from the surface. Better to lose an anchor than line, chain, etc., or worse, risk capsize or pulling the kayak under. If anything can possibly go wrong, it will at the worst possible time.

+++++ on anchors and ocean yakking being incompatible. I learned at Silverwood Lake that when they get hung up, it’s difficult to free them; even with the setup where the main line is tied to the bottom of the anchor and you have it zip tied to the top. And there’s the issue that you will get dunked or flipped but the first decent swell. I second clipping to kelp or a drift chute.